Just got the Oct. issue of “Popular Mechanics” in the mail little blurb in there on p. 20: (excuse my typing)
END OF THE DRAFT
On Oct. 15, Ironman World Championship cyclist must keep a minimum three-bike length distance from each other during the 112-mile cycling portion of the Hawaiian triathlon. Researchers from race sponsor Ford used wind tunnels to prove that three lengths is just enough distance to keep riders from drafting each other. Cyclist in most races cozy up behind a lead rider to benefit from his windbreak, but the Ironman rides alone.
They didn’t actually set the bikes up at 3 lengths. They “guessed” based on closer setups.
Anybody that’s ever done a race with a power meter knows that 3 bike lengths is at least 10-15 watts saved. More in a headwind, and more if it’s a long string of bikes. Put 5-6 bikes at 3 lengths each, and you can soft-pedal at 21 mph at the end of that line.
A huge amount of draft. M-dot bike splits are 8-10 minutes faster for a given amount of effort than a solo ride, for most of the front third of the field.
I was wondering about this. I’m going to come out of the water in probably 500th-1000th place (1:00-1:05). I’m a better cyclist, so I’ll probably be passing people for a while. If there is a long line of slower riders, do I get a benefit from riding past them (legally) on the left? I figure there is probably some benefit, especially if the line of slower cyclists is fairly steady.
Actually…YES…you’ll be benefiting from a draft as you pass. What you should do is pull in behind each and everyone as you approach from behind. Pull left ONLY to pass, even if it’s only a few seconds before pulling back out ot the left, you’ll be drafting for a few seconds as you approach each one from behind. I normally pull clean up to the cyclist before moving to the left to get even the slighest draft. I also don’t pull as far left as everyone else. Though not done unsafely, I stay, on average, closer then most as I pass…it’s all about the draft!!
BTW - I also let each one know that I’m passing…with an “on your left”. I do this ALOT…I suck at swimming and I’m one of the best bikers in my age group.
Actually…YES…you’ll be benefiting from a draft as you pass. What you should do is pull in behind each and everyone as you approach from behind. Pull left ONLY to pass, even if it’s only a few seconds before pulling back out ot the left, you’ll be drafting for a few seconds as you approach each one from behind. I normally pull clean up to the cyclist before moving to the left to get even the slighest draft.
You’re assuming a headwind… what if there is a crosswind 90 degrees from the left?
Actually…YES…you’ll be benefiting from a draft as you pass. What you should do is pull in behind each and everyone as you approach from behind. Pull left ONLY to pass, even if it’s only a few seconds before pulling back out ot the left, you’ll be drafting for a few seconds as you approach each one from behind. I normally pull clean up to the cyclist before moving to the left to get even the slighest draft. I also don’t pull as far left as everyone else. Though not done unsafely, I stay, on average, closer then most as I pass…it’s all about the draft!!
BTW - I also let each one know that I’m passing…with an “on your left”. I do this ALOT…I suck at swimming and I’m one of the best bikers in my age group.
Good advice, but I can imagine a situation where there really isn’t room to pull between each passed cyclist. I would trust that I would not get a blocking call for passing them en mass in a situation such as that.
CCF…you are correct. As long as you keep passing you can stay left. If there is a gap to pull right, you must. And this is a benefit to draft for a second, do it!
Diablo-Advocato … You are correct in that situation, but only if the wind from the left is strong. : ) If the wind is from anyother direction you’ll benefit from the draft of the cyclists being passed. : )
“A huge amount of draft. M-dot bike splits are 8-10 minutes faster for a given amount of effort than a solo ride, for most of the front third of the field.”
Rick,
I hear what you are saying and I agree with you that their is a real advantage. So I’ll extend things a bit - if that’s the case, then why are the bike splits and the overall race times for the top 10 or so over all and the top age-groupers at IMH and at other IM’s no faster than they were 10 - 15 years ago?
This is one of the reasons that the dynamics in the women’s pro race has changed. The slower swimming pro women now can’t do this( sling-shot) with the age-group men any more. They are pretty much all on their own and really riding solo. I think that is why we are seeing, overall some slower times from the pro women these days. However, they alos can ride on their own, just focus on riding and not get caught in trafic and worry about getting nailed with an inadvertant drafting call, which has happened in the past.
For slower swimming age-group men 1:00+, doing this is well within the rules. You have up to 20 seconds to pass, so you might as well take advantage of this. Others may not like this and disagree, but their are so many people on the road at this point it’s hard NOT to do this.